Dera followers, Sikh activists clash over MSG movie

Tension gripped Baghapurana town of Moga district on Tuesday as Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda's followers and members of the various Sikh bodies clashed after posters of the Dera chief's movie 'MSG: The Messenger of God' were torn.

Tension gripped Baghapurana town of Moga district on Tuesday as Sirsa-based Dera Sacha Sauda's followers and members of the various Sikh bodies clashed after posters of the Dera chief's movie 'MSG: The Messenger of God' were torn.

The two groups began pelting stones at each other, and the police fired into the air over 20 times to disperse the crowd. Hundreds from either group raised slogans against each other.

This is the third such incidence in the last week in Moga district between Dera followers and members of Sikh bodies after the movie posters were torn. In the earlier incidents - in Moga city and Thathi Bhai village of Baghapurana sub-division - cases had been registered against unidentified persons under section 295 A of the IPC on the basis Dera followers' complaint.

Dera Sacha Sauda committee members Gurbachan Singh Insa, Mahinderpal Bittu Insa, Gursharanjeet Singh Insa and Surjit Singh Insa told senior officials that miscreants wanted to disturb the law and order situation across the state. We will cooperate with the police, they said. SSP Khaira claimed a heavy police force had been deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

Various Sikh organisations have been up in arms against the movie which is slated to be released on January 16 in four languages.